


Space Between

by nagi_schwarz



Series: The Oppenheimer Effect [35]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Crossover, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-07-12 14:38:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7109563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_schwarz/pseuds/nagi_schwarz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the comment_fic prompt: "Stargate SG-1, author's choice/author's choice, "the space between the wicked lies we tell and hope to keep safe from the pain."</p>
<p>Evan, Cam, and JD come clean to Fiona and Cassandra about their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Space Between

It was Cam who made the actual confession, in Fiona’s cramped office at the social services building in downtown Colorado Springs. Evan sat on one side of him, JD on the other.  
  
“I’m not just dating Evan. Evan, JD, and I are all in a relationship together.”  
  
Cassandra and Fiona, sitting opposite them, were expressionless.  
  
Then Cassandra said, “So was Damien right?”  
  
Evan recoiled. “No! Absolutely not.”  
  
Cam went pale but said nothing. _Expresses himself poorly when faced with unexpected challenge._ It was literally in his military file.  
  
JD cleared his throat. “This isn’t news to Tyler. We were open with him about it before we even agreed to have him move in. If he wasn’t comfortable with it, we weren’t going to pretend when he was in the house.”  
  
Fiona raised her eyebrows. “So you told him to lie to us?”  
  
“We haven’t even told our families,” Cam said. “My family still doesn’t even know I’m -” He looked away.  
  
“We know it’s unconventional,” Evan began.  
  
“For the record,” Cassandra said, “you’re not as subtle as you think. I mean, pretty subtle. But not that subtle.”  
  
Fiona slanted her a look. “You knew?”  
  
“I strongly suspected.”  
  
Fiona sat back in her chair, eyeing the three of them. “I suspected there was something off with JD, but this wasn’t what I expected.”  
  
JD raised his eyebrows. “Something off?”  
  
Fiona tilted her head. “The way you’re basically oblivious to any song that comes on the radio, like it’s background noise. The way all your favorite Simpsons episodes are the oldest ones, the ones your peers were too young to appreciate in their political context. And one time I noticed that you referred to Eisenhower as _Ike_.”  
  
JD didn't respond, but Evan noticed a muscle twitch in his jaw.   
  
He sat up straighter. “Here’s the truth of it. JD and I were together first, and then Cam’s inclusion came along naturally. He was nervous about it. I was nervous about it. But JD is -”  
  
“More than he seems,” Fiona said.  
  
“And he was well over eighteen before I even started to notice him that way,” Evan added.  
  
“Not for lack of trying on my part,” JD muttered, and Cassandra burst into startled laughter.  
  
The tension in the room eased a fraction.  
  
Then Cassandra sighed, uncrossed and recrossed her legs. “Here’s the thing: only Cam is adopting Tyler. All of you pass background checks for policy purposes of having Tyler in the home. The judge doesn’t know and doesn’t need to know who any of you are dating. I totally understand your hesitation. Given JD’s age, the three of you look - unusual. And then adding another teenager to the house looks equally weird. JD’s coming from a place similar to Tyler’s - no family, was struggling, you took him in. It would be easy for an outsider to read an ulterior motive into that. That you lied to us and told Tyler to lie to us makes me less inclined to trust you, however good your intentions might have been. In light of Tyler’s fight with Damien, things look even worse.”  
  
Cam burst out with, “Don’t punish Tyler because we screwed up.”  
  
“You’re adults,” Cassandra said, looking each of them in the eye, lingering on JD. “You know, better than anyone, that actions have consequences, and that you do not get to choose the consequences, and that often those consequences are unfair.”  
  
Evan’s throat closed. No. They’d promised Tyler they wouldn’t send him away. Would he understand if he got taken away? That they didn’t want him to go?  
  
“But Tyler’s doing great in your home. He’s doing better in school, and he’s happier,” Cassandra continued. “So we’re going to be watching you damn closely, but we’re not moving him. For now. Don’t give us any reason to.”  
  
Fiona twirled her pen, lips pursed thoughtfully. “If you’d been honest with us from the outset, we could have handled the incident with Damien better. And we could have all worked with Tyler to make sure that if anyone ever did find out about JD, he’d react properly. If he’d just shaken Damien off, there’d be no problem. But people are talking. People are wondering.”

“The students at school are already talking,” Cam said quietly.  
  
“Schools are notorious gossip mills,” Fiona said. She sighed. “Thank you for finally being honest with us. But I still get the feeling there’s something you’re not telling us.” She pinned JD with a look.  
  
He lifted his chin, and he did it again, that indescribable thing where he shed the veneer of adolescence in an instant. “Anything else we’re not telling you is classified.”  
  
Cassandra scribbled a note on her notepad. “How many of you are involved in classified military work?”  
  
“Rodney’s full-time at the Mountain,” Evan said. “John and I consult sometimes on an as-needed basis.” When they needed a human light-switch or two. “Cam and JD still have clearance but aren’t actively involved anymore.”  
  
“They have teenagers doing classified work with the military?” Cassandra raised her eyebrows.  
  
“Extenuating circumstances,” JD said.  
  
“Right.” Cassandra closed her notebook, capped her pen, stood up. “I like you guys, all of you, I really do. Even Rodney. But if this goes sideways because you were dishonest with us, it’s on you. Remember that.”  
  
Sideways, she said. Losing Tyler, she meant.  
  
Evan swallowed hard. “We will.”  
  
“Now go,” Cassandra said. “Try to enjoy the rest of your weekend as best as you can.”  
  
The three of them bade the women farewell and headed out to the van. Once they were all buckled in, Evan said, “That could have gone worse.”  
  
“Could’ve gone better, too,” Cam muttered.  
  
“It’ll be all right,” JD said. He leaned over to kiss Cam, but Cam turned away.  
  
JD froze for just one moment, then sat back, like nothing had happened.  
  
Evan, hands shaking, pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
“Do you ever feel,” Cam said, staring out the window, “like the space between the lies we tell and the people we want to keep safe from harm is the size of an entire planet?”  
  
“At least a galaxy,” JD said. “Abydos is on the other side of the galaxy.”  
  
“If the Ori are any indication, at least two galaxies,” Evan said.  
  
“Yeah, well, we’re not responsible for galaxies or planets anymore.” Cam closed his eyes and let out a shaky sigh. “We’re only responsible for ourselves and a handful of kids.”  
  
JD closed his eyes and bit his lip, and Evan knew he was thinking of Charlie.  
  
Evan wondered if he had supplies for JD’s favorite chocolate pudding on hand. “Let’s just go home.”  
  
“Home,” JD echoed, and he opened his eyes, cast a longing glance at the sign at the turnoff that led to Cheyenne Mountain.


End file.
